


New Territory

by bmblbtrash



Category: RWBY
Genre: Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Atlas - Freeform, F/F, First Kiss, First time?, fluffy bees, we'll see where this goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 20:32:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17856503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bmblbtrash/pseuds/bmblbtrash
Summary: The gang arrives at Atlas and finally get a bit of time to rest. That is, after they get through Jacques.Winter and Ironwood are the only sane people in Atlas.Blake and Yang find themselves in a surprising situation.--- I dunno I'm just adding more to this between writing other ficlets! I'll keep updating tags because I'm not sure how mature I'm going to make this lol ---





	1. Wel - come?

Upon their arrival, the gang rolled up to find an almost royal military welcome. They had never seen so many human soldiers assembled. As they exited the ship however, things quickly became… complicated. The door to the ship began to open and Weiss led the way. 

Jacques launched into speech. “Oh my dearest Weiss! You can’t possibly know how RELIEVED I am to finally have my precious daughter back. Cordovin promised to return you to us and -” He cut himself off the moment he realized that it wasn’t Atlesian soldiers who accompanied her. Ruby immediately stepped directly to Weiss’ side, scowling. His fake smile quickly disappeared. Ironwood’s jaw positively dropped to the floor as the team exited while they all swore they caught a small smirk briefly cross Winter’s face.

Lending a bit of credence to that observation, Winter seemed to let him sputter in shock for a _tiny_ bit longer than necessary before stepping forward.

“Sister, it is so good to see you in one piece. I see that Miss Ruby Rose here is still by your side - for which I am grateful. Perhaps you could have shaken this bird from out of your little ship, but some things can’t be helped. As for the rest of you, I’m afraid some introductions are in order. I am Specialist Schnee. This here is General Ironwood. And they are Jacques and Whitley Schnee. Who, might I inquire, does the rest of your guard consist of?”

As firmly and confidently as she could muster, Weiss gestured toward her teammates. “Yang Xiao Long - Ruby’s sister, Blake Belladonna, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Oscar Pine, and Maria Calavera - also known as The Grimm Reaper herself.”

Ironwood gasped at the last mention. “You’re… but Miss Calavera… all these years and I never…”

Maria just gave him a sort of shit-eating grin. He took a moment to look at her in utter awe before clearing his throat and attempting to look professional and stoic. The stress of the last year must have been making him a bit off of his game.

“Qrow, I’m glad you’re here. We have some serious matters to discuss. Communications have been scarce between the realms and I need to know what the hell is going on. And what major threats we’re up against. I refuse to be blindsided - especially if we’re going to be under attack. There have been many rumors floating around and I’m guessing that you’ve been in the thick of things. I’d like to start immediately, if you could follow me -”

“YOU - YOU BROUGHT BELLADONNA SCUM INTO THIS NATION?” Jacques roared, finally finding his voice. “YOU DARED TO BRING THIS WHITE FANG FAUNUS MONSTER UNDER MY ROOF? THE MILLIONS OF LIEN I’VE LOST AT THEIR HANDS AND YOU DRAGGED IN A FERAL CAT? GUARDS, ARREST HER IMMEDIATELY!!!”

The entire Ruby squad moved to encircle Blake and drew their weapons so quickly that Jacques recoiled in fear. Yang’s hair actually burst into flames. But Ironwood simply raised a hand to halt the guards.

“This is _my_ army, Jacques. Blake Belladonna is far from an enemy. I watched her progress very carefully at Beacon and she fought valiantly during the final battle. Not only did Miss Belladonna fight the White Fang on more than one occasion during her year there, she took on their leader and has the scar to show for it. She saved Miss Xiao Long’s life and protected your daughter. These children are all war heroes. You should be welcoming them to better protect the people of Atlas.”

Jacques eyes were positively bulging out of his head. He and Ironwood had fought in private, but he had never been publicly rebuked like this. Face red with rage, he seemed to have run out of words again. Qrow was obviously trying not to laugh.

“I would assume,” the General continued, “that each of them have protected and assisted your _dear_ daughter here in order to further our cause. Harming any of them would deprive us of valuable information that could result in all-out war or the destruction of the mines. I suggest that I gather their intel in the hopes that we can continue our relations with other realms. No one wants a broken economy.”

“Now,” Winter began - haughty and not wanting to waste time on these arguments, “while not quite expecting such an entourage, we must find them all some accommodations. I’m sure that the most prestigious family in all of Atlas would be honored to host such brave hunters and huntresses in their home. After all, having one of the most famous and celebrated huntresses of all time under their roof would be the talk of the town. There will be much gossip of how Jacques Schnee discovered a long-lost legend. It would seem prudent to move quickly, lest Atlas hear rumors of our rejection.”

At this, Jacques looked startled. He briefly glanced at Maria, clearly having heard of her prowess on the battlefield. Not to mention that Qrow was known across Remnant as a vigilante and a charmer. The ladies of the elite would be very intrigued. The other children were in such contrast to his own daughter that he could certainly assert that Mantle and Vale were uncivilized brutes who forced children to fight all of their battles. He might even say that the other children were poor refugees escaping to the glory of Atlas and he so selflessly gave them some shelter. This could possibly work in his favor.

With a few deep, calming breaths, he returned his fake mask and smiled. “Yes, well I suppose you have all made such a long and arduous journey. It is getting rather late and I will probably be required to pair some of you together on such short notice, but you must be exhausted. Please, feel free to follow me to our glorious estate.”

Exchanging some looks of surprise, they tentatively began to follow the owner of the world’s largest dust company. Passing Ironwood and Winter, Weiss could have sworn her sister gave her a small wink with a gleam of pride.

As they were just about to leave the hanger, Jacques called out without looking back.

“Oh,” casually flicking his wrist, “but the faunus stays.”

The gang collectively froze. They couldn’t simply leave her there.

Weiss turned to Blake in a panic, but honestly Blake wasn’t even surprised. Glancing at the ice princess, she flashed her a half smile and shooed her forward, knowing it wasn’t worth it. Weiss still didn’t move, but then Blake felt a cool metallic hand softly slip into hers. She looked at her partner and saw her nod to the former heiress, letting her know it was ok. Weiss looked back in understanding before taking a breath and turning ahead to lead the rest of the group.

Yang gazed at her softly and squeezed her hand. They would find somewhere to stay. That was when Blake felt another hand on her shoulder. Ironwood gave her a reassuring look.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you ladies a bed for the night. Come with me.” He led them down a different corridor. They assumed they were headed for the barracks. With a turn and quick appraisal of Yang, he commented, “In the morning, we can get that arm of yours repaired. It should only take a quick tune-up. How is it serving you?”

She smiled widely. “It’s incredible, General. It performs perfectly and has definitely gotten me out of more than a few jams.” She couldn’t help but glance at Blake. “I can’t thank you enough for giving me my life back.”

He stopped abruptly in front of a door and swiped his scroll over the sensor. “Alright, here you are. Let me see your scrolls so that I can give you both access.”

Blake dejectedly looked at the floor, trying not to think of why she had lost her scroll in the first place. Yang thankfully took the reigns. “She needs a replacement after our last battle, so we can just share my scroll for now.”

Ironwood didn’t press and curtly nodded, plugging in the access code for the room. When he pushed the door open, they were taken aback.

“It’s one of the few rooms we have for visiting captains. The others are currently occupied, so I hope sharing a bed isn’t a problem.”

Looking around, the bed had to be at least queen-sized with a canopy. There was a machine for hot beverages, and a personal bathroom. Best of all however, was the beautiful view of the city. They could hardly believe their eyes!

“We get to stay… here?” Yang asked in utter disbelief. When he nodded, they both grinned ear to ear.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then. I’ll see you both in the morning to fix up that arm and to grab you a new scroll. And Yang - I’m very happy I could help. You both fought well. I’m guessing Qrow's report will express even more growth from your team. Getting here could not have been easy. Goodnight, ladies.” With that, he was gone.


	2. Just one another

As soon as the door closed, Yang squealed and dove face-first onto the bed. Blake made a beeline for the machine in the corner to whip up some tea. This city was freezing and she had been coatless all day. The first sip made her sigh with relief while Yang was singing muffled praises about the bed. They both had assumed they’d be staying in tiny beds with the footsoldiers. This was… VIP. Yang had certainly never been treated to anything like this.

“Can you make me a hot cocoa?” she mumbled into the softest pillow ever.

Blake could only roll her eyes and grin. She set down her tea for a moment to prep the cocoa, even deciding to add some marshmallows. Bringing over the two cups, she nudged the bed.

“M’lady, your beverage of choice.”

Yang peeked up at her and leapt to the edge of the bed. She patted the spot next to her and grabbed a blanket. Blake sat obediently, but before Yang took the cocoa, she wrapped the blanket around them both and snuggled closer. The blush that appeared on her cheeks was adorable. Grabbing her cup, she looked up and out the window. Blake followed her gaze to really take in Atlas in all of its icy glory.

“It’s beautiful,” Blake breathed.

“Yeah, but it’s not nearly as breathtaking as you.”

Her eyes went wide and she felt her whole being flush with embarrassment. Yang had spent the entire day at her side, being nothing but supportive. And now she’s flirting. Her soul just might fly out of her body at this point. She had done almost nothing but stare at the blonde ever since Haven, yet here she was almost losing her mind at the attention being reciprocated. Not knowing what to say back, she panicked, turned, and kissed her on the cheek. Then promptly stared down at her tea as if it would save her.

Yang was really quiet for a few minutes. She closed her eyes and softly admitted “Blake, I know I talk a big game and flirt a lot, but I… I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. In fact, I’ve never done this.”

Blake slowly looked up in surprise. “What, like tried dating someone?”

“No,” she said barely above a whisper, “I mean, well yes, but I meant that… I’ve never… kissed someone.”

She had rarely been more caught off guard or confused. She couldn’t picture it. In fact, Blake had always been convinced that Yang would roll up to a nightclub, confidently walk in, and immediately seduce the most beautiful girl in the room. Her sauve confidence and strength had been two of the major reasons Blake had chosen her as her partner. This awkward side of Yang was so incredibly rare to see.

“That’s ok, Yang. I actually think that’s really sweet,” she told her reassuringly. “You’ve always been so worried about taking care of everyone and getting stronger. Of course romance wasn’t on your mind!”

“Actually, that’s not entirely true. I fell pretty hard for someone at Beacon, but it was pretty obvious that she liked someone else.”

Blake was suddenly a little crestfallen and felt a twinge of jealousy. “Yeah. She was pretty crazy about Jaune.”

Yang’s head snapped up in alarm. “Jaune? What, no! I wasn’t into Pyrrha, you dolt. I fell pretty hard for a certain cat faunus I know? Ring any bells?”

Her ears perked straight up in the air. She liked her all the way back then? But she could have said something! They could have gone on a date that didn’t involve fighting evil. Maybe Blake would even have felt an obligation to stay with Yang and help her recover. They could have had so much more time to explore one another…

“Wait, who did you think I had feelings for?”

“Sun, clearly. You spent so much time with him, and the dance, and the whole fellow faunus thing.”

She stared at her incredulously. “Um Yang, I never told you, but I followed you in the forest so I could choose you specifically as my partner. Not to mention the only reason I went to the dance was because you’d showed me a caring and affection that I’d never felt. I didn’t know how else to show my gratefulness other than by trying to communicate on the dance floor… but maybe that was naive of me and I’m sorry. By the time the Vytal Tournament rolled around, we were so in sync that I felt like you were a part of me. The only reason I hesitated to trust you for even a moment was because I had feelings for you. The last person I had feelings for was a monster. A monster who promised to destroy everything I loved. The instant I saw you at Beacon, he knew. He knew you were the most important thing in my life. That’s why he attacked you and tried to kill you. I knew he would never stop chasing me. If you hated me, he would leave you alone and safe. But, selfishly, the moment I saw your face at Haven, I knew I could never do that again. I couldn’t live with the pain in your eyes and I couldn’t stand to be away from you one more minute of my life. It’s always been you.”

The blonde was looking at her with tears in her eyes. “Blake, I - I never knew. And I did hate you for so long. It’s my greatest regret. I’m so sorry that I rejected you so many times on our trip here. Watching the light leaving your eyes on that farm… that image will haunt me for the rest of my life. I could have lost you again without telling you how I really felt. If you had died and the last thing I’d done was push you away... But here you are. Here WE are. I never thought I’d see you again, but you came back to me.

“Without the inspiration of your strength, I never would have been able to change the White Fang and come to Haven. I never would have been able to face Adam, either. I can do anything because of you, so this feels like destiny. I - Yang, I - I love you.”

There was a long pause. Blake was now terrified that she’d said the wrong thing. That she pushed her partner too fast. She had just thought with the way they seemed so in sync that it had to be obvious how she felt.

“I can’t say it yet,” Yang finally said, wiping the tears away, “but I want to. I want to say it back so badly because my heart is begging me to just yell it out! But that would be incredibly unfair to you. Blake, you’ve had feelings for and loved someone before; I’ve never felt like this for anyone except you. I need for you to know and trust that this isn’t a crush, or a phase, or just because partnerships can create such strong bonds before I can say those words to you. I won’t ever take the risk of breaking your heart like that.”

Blake softly smiled at her in adoration. Mulling things over, she slowly set down her tea on the nightstand. She searched her face before making a final decision.

“Yang, may I kiss you?”

Without breaking eye contact, Yang blindly put down her own cup. She gulped nervously. Her eyes displayed some panic and hesitation, but she eventually nodded in the affirmative.

As gently as she could, the faunus cradled both of her cheeks, closed her eyes and leaned in. When her lips touched Yang’s she could feel the tension and a small gasp. She stayed still for a moment so as not to startle her partner before slowly beginning to move her lips. It didn’t take long for Yang to catch on and start to mimic her motions. Once she seemed to be comfortable, Blake began to open her mouth a little more and more. Suddenly, she felt hands on her waist. She took this as a sign and ran her tongue across her partner’s bottom lip. Yang responded by pulling her closer. Blake responded in kind, bringing them deeper and deeper into the kiss. She was tempted to dig her fingers into her hair and run her hands all over her body, but she knew that would be taking it too far for now. So, she pulled back just a little and smiled against her lips. Yang let out a relieved half laugh and brought their foreheads together.

The blonde’s breathing was shallow and she was mildly shaking. Blake wasn’t worried - she remembered her own first kiss.

“Wow,” she finally managed, “your lips might be my new favorite addiction. I didn’t know you would feel so soft. And comfortable.”

Blake chuckled. “It’s not always quite like this, babe. Sometimes it’s passionate, sometimes rough, sometimes quick and dirty, and sometimes it’s simple cute kisses while you lay down next to one another and tell each other adorable little things.”

“I’d very much like to try it all with you. I’m fairly certain any way you might kiss or touch me would send me over the moon. Feeling you in my hands nearly made me erupt. But more importantly,” she smirked, “did you just call me ‘babe’?”

She went white. “Uh, well I - uh didn’t mean - if you aren’t comfortable, um - I’m sorry it just slipped - not to suggest that we’re -”

Yang cut off her incoherent ramblings by smashing their lips together and kissing her once more. It was a bit unpracticed, but adorable just the same.

When she pulled away, she looked her straight in the eyes and asked “We did everything together at Beacon and shared things with one another that no one else would ever know. You’re my best friend and so much more than that. Blake Belladonna, would you just be my girlfriend already?”

“Yang Xiao Long, I would love nothing more than an excuse to hold your hand all the time. But,” she paused with a smirk, “you owe me a real date!” 

With that, Blake threw the blanket back and playfully pounced on top of her in a hug that knocked them back onto the bed. As they both laughed, she nuzzled her face into that gorgeous golden mane and inhaled. God, she’d never get tired of that smell. It was like warm apple cider on a chill autumn day. She never wanted to let go, so she continued to enjoy laying on top of her new girlfriend as they held one another. 

That was, until Blake broke the mood by nipping at Yang’s ear.

She let out the cutest yelp, but the faunus merely smiled and trailed tiny little kisses behind her ear and along her chin line as her partner squirmed and giggled beneath her. Blake finally stopped before she was too tempted to suck on her neck or find her collarbone - Yang wasn’t ready for that. If she was honest with herself though, Blake wasn’t ready to hear Yang moan. That might kill her on the spot. When did she become this predatory?

“Come on, let’s finish our drinks, cuddle, and actually take in the view. Maybe we can even watch the sunrise tomorrow,” Yang said excitedly. She was almost giddy from Blake’s attentions.

Eager to abandon the path her mind was wandering down, the faunus nodded and sat back up. Their drinks were cold by now, but neither cared. Being curled up together was warmth enough - especially while watching the city lights against the night sky. Everything about tonight seemed perfect. Being separated from the gang for a bit was much nicer than they could have expected.

After a half hour of comfortable silence, Blake’s head slowly began to fall onto her shoulder. Yang enjoyed the feeling, but would be remiss to say that she wasn’t ready for sleep herself. She sighed.

“We should probably get some sleep. I can’t imagine how tired you must be after such a prolonged fight and scaling a cliffside. Let’s change and tuck in.”

Blake reluctantly pulled away and they went for their pajamas. Changing was suddenly awkward - for Yang, it was because she was terrified about the idea of seeing her partner - for Blake, it was out of fear she might make her uncomfortable in any way. Eventually, they threw back the covers and dove in. Yang had been spot on about the fluffiness of the mattress. As soon as her head hit the pillow, Blake closed her eyes and let out a moan of contentment. She was on a cloud.

Yang felt all of the tension leave her body as she sunk deep into the bed. Gods, was this some sort of magic? They both certainly deserved a night of peace after years of looking over their shoulders, being hunted like animals, and risking life and limb for one another. Still, she couldn’t quite shake the fact that they had killed someone. Yang couldn’t have risked him stabbing Blake, but she deeply regretted having to take a life. It went against everything she believed. She wondered what happened to the cheery and carefree person she once was.

As upset as she was about who she might have become, she couldn’t imagine how her partner felt. Adam had been her first inspiration - her first driving force. He taught her how to defend herself, how to fight for a cause, and how to protect her people from falling into slavery. While he was still a cold-blooded murderer who had brainwashed her, she never wanted to fight him. It’s hard to dismiss someone you once cared about so much, even if one of you has moved on. And yet, Adam had wanted to kill her. He wanted complete control over her, but the moment she stood up for herself, he’d rather have her dead than happy. For Blake to have the strength to withstand that whiplash was incredible, but to be forced to kill someone who helped you become the person you are today? Someone you once loved? Blake must feel like she sacrificed a piece of her heart and the guilt must be enormous. Yang ached at the thought of Blake carrying that weight around for the rest of her life.

She reached under the covers to find her partner’s hand.

Blake’s mind had been nearly blank with exhaustion and was startled by Yang’s sudden touch. It was very gentle, yet reassuring. She glanced over questioningly, but decided not to say anything as her faunus eyes saw a single tear rolling down a soft cheek.

“I’m sorry,” the blonde said simply.

She didn’t need to ask what was meant.

“Don’t worry my little dragon,” she smiled to the darkness, “we’ll get through this. I’ve got you by my side.”

“Always. Goodnight, Blake.”

“Sleep well, babe.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely happy with this first chapter, but I've messed and picked at it so much that I'm just gonna let it go for now before I decide to never post it lol


End file.
